Prosecution will not proceed with new trial for 2 men involved in deadly 2009 Papa John's shooting

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Prosecutors have decided not to proceed with a new trial for the remaining counts that two men face for their involvelemt in a 2009 fatal shooting outside a pizza restaurant in Chino.

Despite the dismissals, defendants Joel Anthony Jaquez and Edward Ramon Cisneros will face decades in prison for being at fault in the shooting.

"At this point in time, they are looking at serving the rest of their lives in prison," Deputy District Attorney Michael Dowd said Friday after the hearing.

"We don't want to put all of the victims through another trial."

Jurors found the two men guilty of several charges in September for their roles in the robbery of the Central Avenue pizza shop that led to a Chino police officer shooting a bystander.

They could not come to a decision regarding other charges, including murder and attempted murder.

Jurors deadlocked on one murder count and two counts of attempted murder against Jaquez of Hacienda Heights. They also deadlocked on one murder charge and three counts of attempted murder against Cisneros, a La Mirada resident.

The West Valley Superior Court jury found Cisneros guilty of attempted murder of a police officer, four counts of assault with a firearm on a police officer, two counts of robbery as well as commercial burglary and criminal threats. He is facing 67 years in prison.

Jaquez was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a firearm on a police officer, two counts of robbery, commercial burglary and criminal threats. He could be sentenced to 122 years.

Jaquez and Cisneros will return Dec. 7 to court for a hearing to discuss prior offenses that need to be tried in court, Dowd said. Their sentencing will be scheduled for another date.

The two men were charged with the Feb. 1, 2009 holdup of the Papa John's pizzeria and the ensuing shootout.

A bystander - Daniel Balandran, 23, of Riverside - was mistakenly shot and killed by police officers in the shootout.

Jaquez and Cisneros forced their way into the Papa John's after the restaurant had closed and robbed the manager at gunpoint, Dowd said.

Jaquez allegedly shot at responding police officers, touching off a gun battle in which close to 200 rounds were fired, Dowd said.

A Chino police officer was shot in the arm, Dowd said.

Jaquez was shot 17 times and Cisneros was shot six times.

About the same time, two men were eating in a nearby parked car. They became aware of the shooting and tried to leave by walking toward the back of the pizzeria.

Police Cpl. Claudia Lisner said she believed the men were the robbery suspects and shot one of them in the chest with an assault rifle. Officials said the men were wearing apparel similar to that of the suspected robbers.